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February 26, 2026JOB VACANCIES, DECEMBER 2025 Monthly (December 2025 vs November 2025, seasonally adjusted)
Nova Scotia had 13,150 job vacancies in December 2025 with a vacancy rate of 2.8%, down 0.3 percentage points from the previous month.
Canadian employers were actively recruiting for 514,590 positions in December with the national job vacancy rate of 2.9%, up 0.2 percentage points from the previous month. Five provinces reported higher vacancy rates in December compared to November, with the highest vacancy rates in Prince Edward Island and the lowest in Newfoundland in Labrador.
When compared to November 2025, the number of job vacancies in Nova Scotia declined 8.8% (-1,275 vacant positions). National job vacancies rose 4.8% (+23,655 vacant positions). Job vacancies rose in five provinces, led by Prince Edward Island, while Manitoba reported the fastest decline in vacant positions.
Year-over-year (December 2025 vs December 2024)
Nova Scotia's job vacancy rate was down 0.4 percentage points compared to December 2024. Nationally, the job vacancy rate declined 0.1 percentage point compared to December 2024. All provinces except New Brunswick (higher) and Ontario (stable) reported lower job vacancy rates compared to one year ago. Manitoba reported the largest percentage point reduction in the job vacancy rate.
When compared to December 2024, the number of job vacancies in Nova Scotia fell 10.4% or by 1,525 vacancies. National job vacancies declined 3.8% or by 20,500 vacant positions. All provinces except New Brunswick (higher) and Ontario (no change) reported declines in the number of vacancies over the twelve-month period ending in December, led by Manitoba.
Trend
Nationally, job vacancy rates have trended downward after peaking in April-May 2022.
Nova Scotia's job vacancy rate peaked in the spring of 2022 and has also been on a downward trend. Nova Scotia's job vacancy rate rose in the first half of 2025 but has resumed its downward trend. Nova Scotia's job vacancy rate in December 2025 was below the national average for the first time since October 2024 (the Nova Scotia and national rates were equal from January to April of 2025).
Nova Scotia's job vacancies peaked at 22,775 in July 2022 and have been trending down. There was an increase in Nova Scotia job vacancies through the summer of 2025, followed by a decrease in the autumn months.
Canada job vacancy rate and job vacancies by industry, December 2025
Nationally, accommodation/food services, personal/repair services, and health care/social assistance had the highest job vacancy rates. The lowest vacancy rates were in education and utilities. Manufacturing, admin/support/waste management, accommodation/food services, and public administration all reported higher vacancy rates than a year ago.
Health care and social assistance had the highest number of vacancies in Canada at 96,140 in December 2025 and experienced the most significant decline in the number of vacancies (-10,685).
Notes: The job vacancy rate is the percentage of job positions (both filled and vacant) that are vacant. A higher job vacancy rate indicates a tighter labour market where it is more difficult for employers to find suitable candidates for the positions offered. A lower job vacancy rate signals labour market slack and potentially more job seekers competing for each vacant position.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, data collection was suspended from April to October 2020. There remains a break in this data series.
Sources: Statistics Canada, Table 14-10-0432-01 Job vacancies, payroll employees, and job vacancy rate by provinces and territories, monthly, adjusted for seasonality, Table 14-10-0406-01 Job vacancies, payroll employees, and job vacancy rate by industry sector, monthly, adjusted for seasonality
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